The main item on the agenda was the drawing up of measures to prevent the emergence of an electricity shortage in the country.
The President set the government the task of acting as rapidly as possible to settle the issue of attracting Russian and foreign private investment to the country’s electricity sector. According to Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko, who took part in the meeting, the relevant proposals should be ready by the next meeting, scheduled to take place in a month’s time. The need to give special attention to the nuclear energy sector was also particularly stressed.
Mr Khristenko said that the government and the President have reached overall agreement on the proposals made by the Chief Executive Officer of Unified Energy Systems concerning the electricity sector’s modernisations. The proposed measures have been dictated in part by the difficult winter period that is forcing everyone, above all in the energy sector, to mobilise their efforts, Mr Khristenko said.
The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Sobyanin, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Presidential Aide Igor Shuvalov, Trade and Economic Development Minister German Gref, Director of the Russian Atomic Energy Agency Sergei Kiriyenko, Chief of the Presidential Experts Directorate Arkady Dvorkovich, Chief of the Federal Energy Agency Sergei Oganesyan and Chief Executive Officer of Russian joint stock company Unified Energy Systems Anatoly Chubais.